1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus adapted to facilitate the pouring of a liquid from one container to another, for the avoidance of spillage in the pouring process and the avoidance of splashing in receiving a poured liquid.
2. Background Information
In the kitchen, or elsewhere in the home or shop, it is frequently necessary to pour liquids from one container to another. Such liquids may be hot, corrosive, or may comprise paint or the like that a user does not wish to have spread about, and for that reason it can be important to ensure that no liquid is lost to the surroundings, either by spillage or by splashing. The present invention provides means for avoiding both ways for losing liquid to the surroundings.
By "spillage" is meant the pouring of liquid onto locations not desired, as when a part of a body of liquid that is being poured into a receptacle is misdirected elsewhere, e.g., so as to pour onto a table or the like on which the receiving receptacle is placed. Devices that are intended to avoid such spillage are termed "spouts" in this discussion.
By "splashing" is meant the secondary transport of liquid out of a receptacle into which it is being poured, i.e., the liquid is directed into the receiving receptacle as desired, but a portion of the liquid "splashes" on out, e.g., again onto a table or the like on which the receiving receptacle is placed. Devices that are intended to avoid such splashing are termed "splash guards" in this discussion.
Previous efforts to avoid these undesired events have generally fallen into the two classes indicated, i.e., into pouring devices and splash guards. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,867,060 issued Jul. 12, 1932 to Carr, a curved spout having the same radius of curvature as the container to which the spout is to be attached includes on the lower periphery thereof an upward-turning lip that is adapted to fit within a downward facing lip of the container, e.g., as may be provided in a paint can. This device is thus limited in application to containers that indeed include such a downward turning lip.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,367 issued Feb. 3, 1953 to Bork describes a detachable spout for paint cans that is to be inserted into the same circumferential groove in the can in which the can lid is placed. Thus, this invention comprises in a first component a continuous flange that fits downwardly into that can groove; and as a second component, a spout for pouring purposes extending upwardly and outwardly from one side of that continuous flange. This device is again limited in application to paint cans or the like that provide such an upwardly-facing circumferential groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,604 issued Jan. 22, 1963 to Baroud likewise describes a device adapted to fit into the upwardly-facing groove of a paint can, but in this case into only a portion thereof. The device is further provided with an upwardly-facing flat surface adapted for placement thereon of a paint brush, and centrally within said flat surface there is provided an outwardly-pointing groove which narrows in width going outwardly, thus to serve as a pouring spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,340 issued Nov. 10, 1981 to Hrytzak describes a paint can attachment comprising a trough-shaped pouring spout that is attached to the top of the can by two hooks on each side of said trough, one of said hooks being placed inside the can on the underside of a downwardly-descending lip, and the other of being snapped under an outer rim on the top periphery of the can.
In a somewhat different perspective. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,874 issued Apr. 12, 1988 to Durant, describes a device, i.e., a collar insert that by virtue of having a wedged shape engages frictionally with the interior rim of a paint can, that is principally adapted to prevent the entry of paint into the annular groove that encircles the top of a paint can (into which is placed the can lid), said device also being adapted to accept an attached pouring or filtering spout.
Also with respect to paint cans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,579 issued Mar. 21, 1989 to Ciumaga describes a two-component device comprising firstly a pouring member and secondly a locking member attached to said pouring member and adapted for insertion under and behind the annular bead that in a paint can marks the inner periphery of the top thereof, i.e., which defines the circumference of the can opening. The device is attached to a paint can by first flexing the device an amount sufficient to permit passing the same into the interior of the top of the paint can; relaxation of that flexion until the radius of curvature of the device (and in particular the radius of curvature of the locking member) matches that of the aforementioned interior bead; and then moving the device upwardly so that a portion of the locking member is placed between that bead and the interior wall of the annular groove into which the can lid would be placed with the lid present.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,662 issued Mar. 23, 1993 to Neff describes a paint can spout that features an interior paint brush wiping bar. Attachment of the device is essentially by placing an interior lip thereof under the annular bead which defines the circumference of the can opening, and then placing an outer lip thereof under the outer bead on the exterior rim of the can.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,133 issued Aug. 10, 1993 to Kensey describes another pouring device adapted for use with containers such as paint cans that have an interior annular rim (defining the container opening) and an adjacent annular channel. Attachment of the device to the container is by means of an annular split retainer that is bent to fit and placed inwardly from and against the interior annular rim, whereby the resilient force of the retainer holds the same in place against the rim. Some particular one of several types of spout, funnel and filter devices may then be attached to that retainer for carrying out the corresponding function in removing liquid from the container.
As noted earlier, other devices have been conceived for the purpose of preventing splashing when a liquid is poured into a can. With regard to paint cans in particular, such event can occur when pouring into the can in the normal sense, but also when a paint brush that has been immersed in the paint is lifted out (or is wiped against the rim of the can opening) and commences to drip paint back into the can. In either case, it is desired to prevent paint from entering into the annular groove about the top of the can into which a corresponding rim of the lid to the can is placed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,190 issued Jun. 17, 1952 to Wells describes one such device, which essentially comprises an annular body having at the upper periphery thereof an annular, inwardly-sloping rim that extends outwardly from the top periphery of the can; at the bottom periphery thereof an annular, inwardly-sloping skirt that extends downwardly into the can interior; and passing through slots in that annular body a U-shaped flexible bail with outwardly extending trunnions that may be placed to fit beneath the shoulder-forming upper can rim by compressing the sides of the bail together and then slipping the trunnions under the can rim. The bail may be used as a handle for carrying the can to which the device has been attached, the trunnions terminating in stop lugs that encounter the slot edges so as to prevent compression of the bail when the same is in an upright position, but when in a different position permit compression and hence removal of the device from a can.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,635 issued Feb. 9, 1954 to Bennett describes an annular shield or bib formed from a flexible sheet that may be shaped to be inserted at a lower portion thereof into the annular channel at the top of a paint can, said shield then extending upwardly and outwardly so as to shield both that channel and the outside wall of the can from spillage or splashing. It is indicated that attachment of the device to the can may be by adhesive, clips, snaps, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,746 issued Sep. 20, 1966 to Andrews, Jr., describes a similar bib or shield that incorporates a brush holder and wiper and attaches by placement within the can opening. In this case, the bib or shield has a series of supports which hold the upper draining portion of the device above the top annular channel of the can. U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,281 issued Jul. 4, 1989 to Bradford describes another device that is placed onto and over the open-container rim to prevent paint from entering the adjacent channel, and which includes a tapering vertical wall, web and land for placement of a paint brush to as to drain back into the can.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,576 issued Jun. 23, 1992 to Lawrence describes a paint tray adapted to accommodate a paint roller, the assembly as a whole fitting down into the top of an opened paint can, and the portion thereof that is over the contained paint being open for access thereto by either a brush or roller. The tray has a rounded extremity over about half of the region nearmost to the paint can, and extends as a rectangle in an opposite direction. The tray as a whole has outer walls for preventing splashing or spillage, and centermost to the rounded portion thereof has a tapering, rounded bend extending outwardly to serve as a pouring spout.
In spite of the foregoing, however, there remains the problem of pouring paint and other such liquids into and out of various round or rectangular shaped containers without spillage or splashing, and in a way that is both convenient and economical. In particular, the majority of the described devices depend for their attachment and use upon the annular inner rim and channel, and in some cases even the specific inner and outer beads, that characterize the ordinary paint can. Moreover, the devices described are generally rather complex in construction which can make them relatively costly. Consequently, for purposes of home canning or cooking, the laboratory manipulation of liquid chemicals, and a wide range of other such functions, there remains a need for a simple and inexpensive pouring spout and splash guard device that is adapted for use with a correspondingly wide range of liquid containers, the bulk of which may not have the same upper construction as does a paint can.